ה֣וּא יַלְוְךָ֔ וְאַתָּ֖ה לֹ֣א תַלְוֶ֑נּוּ ה֚וּא יִהְיֶ֣ה לְרֹ֔אשׁ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה לְזָנָֽב׃
He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him; he will be the head, and you will be the tail.
Morphology
- ה֣וּא (hu) – Root: הוא (h-w-ʾ); Form: Pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “He”; Notes: Refers to the foreigner or stranger mentioned previously.
- יַלְוְךָ֔ (yalvekha) – Root: לוה (l-w-h); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “will lend to you”; Notes: Indicates a reversal of economic roles.
- וְאַתָּ֖ה (veʾattah) – Root: אתה (ʾ-t-h); Form: Conjunction + pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “and you”; Notes: Introduces a contrasting clause.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא (l-ʾ); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following verb.
- תַלְוֶ֑נּוּ (talvenu) – Root: לוה (l-w-h); Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “will lend to him”; Notes: Continues the contrast with the previous lending situation.
- ה֚וּא (hu) – Root: הוא (h-w-ʾ); Form: Pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “He”; Notes: Reiterates the subject from the first clause.
- יִהְיֶ֣ה (yihyeh) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “will be”; Notes: Introduces the new state of being.
- לְרֹ֔אשׁ (lerosh) – Root: ראשׁ (r-ʾ-š); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “as the head”; Notes: Symbolizes leadership or dominance.
- וְאַתָּ֖ה (veʾattah) – Root: אתה (ʾ-t-h); Form: Conjunction + pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “and you”; Notes: Reintroduces the contrasting subject.
- תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה (tihyeh) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “will be”; Notes: Indicates the resultant condition.
- לְזָנָֽב (lezanav) – Root: זנב (z-n-b); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “as the tail”; Notes: Symbolizes subordination or inferiority.